General Info

Friendship Lodge #8 was instituted on September 3rd, 1868, in the Odd Fellows Hall on West Street. Six Grand Lodge Officers and eleven members of Golden State No. 1 of Baltimore initiated the original twelve members of Friendship Lodge #8 and installed their officers on the night of institution. John C. Regan was elected and installed as the first worthy Chancellor of the Lodge. In 1870, during the O. B. N. controversy between the Supreme Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Maryland, Friendship Lodge remained loyal to the Supreme Lodge. As a result of this , when the Grand Lodge of Maryland was reorganized in 1870, the delegate from Friendship Lodge to the newly-formed Grand Lodge, Richard H. Brewer, was elected as honorary Past Grand Chancellor. He was the first Past Grand Chancellor of Friendship Lodge. Friendship Lodge met in the Odd Fellows Hall until October, 1870 when they moved to the Sons of Temperance Hall. The lodge met in the Temperance Hall until October 31st, 1874 when they moved to the Masonic Hall. They met there until September 1880 when they moved back to the Sons of Temperance Hall until July 1st, 1888 when they moved to the Red Mens Hall. On July 5th, 1893, the Lodge moved into the newly-built Pythian Castle on School Street where they met until the new lodge was erected on Solomons Island Road, December 1970.